Schools in Washington to remain closed on Monday

San Francisco, Feb 11 (IANS) Many schools in the US state of Washington have been ordered to remain closed for Monday as a result of heavy snowstorms that swept the state over the weekend, the news outlet KEPR TV in Washington said.

There will be no preschool classes, and all other activities in some schools and colleges involving events, athletic practices, fitness centres and even library use will be cancelled, Xinhua quoted the KEPR TV as reporting on Saturday.

Heavy snow covered Washington beginning Friday, and the National Weather Service said the unusual winter weather brought some areas around Seattle more than 10 inches of snow on Saturday, "the most in February in 70 years."

Washington State Department has closed major roads overnight because of blowing and drifting snow, KEPR TV said.

Washington Trooper Thorson tweeted Saturday that hundreds of cars were stranded near the state's I-82 highway and Coffin road in Benton County after a large injury collision piled up earlier in the day.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency for the state in anticipation of the upcoming storm weather on Friday.

"I have declared a state of emergency in preparation for this #wasnow winter storm. Everyone in WA needs to focus on preparing for the snow and staying safe," he tweeted.